We’re in the grueling stretch of the NHL’s offseason, but the league’s cogs continue to turn as it prepares for another fantastic season of hockey.
This Wednesday, the Montreal Canadiens and the Nashville Predators agreed on a blockbuster, straight-up trade involving two of the league’s best defensemen, with Montreal’s P.K. Subban taking his talents to the Music City and Nashville’s Shea Weber heading north of the border.
Exactly who ended up winning this deal, and what does this also mean for our NHL futures-betting prospects? Let’s further analyze this massive trade below. And while you’re at it, check out our analysis for another huge transaction that went down on Wednesday, with the Edmonton Oilers sending Taylor Hall to the New Jersey Devils for Adam Larsson.
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P.K. Subban-Shea Weber Trade Analysis and NHL Futures Odds Update
Nashville Predators Acquire P.K. Subban – Now (+2000)
Pros:
Hot off their franchise-best postseason run, the Nashville Predators are looking more and more like true playoff contenders by the year. The addition of former Norris Trophy winner Pernell Karl “P.K.” Subban should put the team in better position to make an even deeper run for the Stanley Cup next season.
Finally, Subban (27 years old) is three years younger than Weber (30), and the former is right in the prime of his professional career. Subban also has a more well-rounded game than the high-scoring Weber, which provides the Predators better balance on the blue line alongside defensive standouts Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg.
Cons:
Nashville just gave up its team captain to get this deal done, and the team’s chemistry could be in jeopardy if Subban proves to be an ill fit. Trading Subban somewhere down the line might be a tall order as well, as his $9 million annual salary is the highest amongst all defensemen in the NHL.
Montreal Canadiens Acquire Shea Weber – Now (+2500)
Pros:
After their lackluster 2015-16 campaign, the Montreal Canadiens nabbed Nashville’s Shea Weber to provide some much-needed firepower in the team’s top line.
Weber is a five-time All-Star, a proven leader in the locker room, and a physically larger, more potent scoring threat than Subban. The 30-year-old star from BC has three 20-goal seasons to his credit, which is outstanding for a defenseman.
From an off-ice perspective, the Habs accomplished two things: they freed up over a million in cap space with Weber’s cheaper contract, and possibly eliminated any internal turmoil that had been bubbling up in the clubhouse.
Montreal head coach Michel Therrien has had some issues with Subban in the past, so having Weber as a more disciplined blueliner may just be the breath of fresh air that the team needs. Meanwhile, the $1 million saved by the Canadiens in this trade works well in preparation for re-signing star goalie Carey Price when his contract expires in a couple of years.
Cons:
There really was nothing wrong with having Subban on the team in the first place. In fact, he hasn’t even hit his peak yet, whereas Weber is already in his top form and could regress more so than develop in the long run.
If Montreal’s main concern was to find more scoring options, they could have done better by aiming for other notable free agents like Steven Stamkos (who, by the way, agreed to re-sign with the Tampa Bay Lightning shortly after the Montreal-Nashville deal was in place).
To top it all off, the Habs are now stuck with Weber and his $7.85 million annual price tag for an entire decade. Similar to the Predators, the Canadiens will likely find it hard to shop Weber if their plans don’t pan out as expected.
The Verdict
Statistically, Subban and Weber are about on-par, with each of them excelling in certain facets of the game over the other. But with Subban’s youth and all-around versatility, it appears as though the Nashville Predators got the better end of the deal.
What are your thoughts on this blockbuster trade? Create a betting account now to place some stakes on either the Canadiens or the Predators in the wake of this stunning development.
